The Ballad of Luwei

Chapter Eight

As the newly betrothed couple were in deep conversation with each other their tete-a-tete was suddenly interrupted by the loud voice that Weiwei knew all too well calling out for her. Weiwei groaned and slipped her fingers under the beads of the headdress to massage her forehead.

"I take it, you know the owner of the voice calling for you?" her new fiance asked with an annoying upturn to his lips.

Weiwei glowered "Yes, and if she's making this much commotion here I hate to know what she did back at her estate. I should have known better then to send such a vague note to her." Taking a moment to compose herself by taking a deep fortifying breath. "The person who is yelling like a crazy person just happens to be Feng Teng's future bride. Most likely inadvertently giving away my location." the warrior princess gracefully rose to her feet. "Would you care to join me as I chastise my dear cousin?" Weiwei asked her future spouse with an arched eyebrow and a sarcastic smirk on her lips.

Her cheeky demeanor was highly amusing to Xiao Nai. One thing was for sure life with his red goddess will never be dull. "By all means. I am curious how calm and collected Feng Teng is going to handle such a spirited wife." Xiao Nai stood up and offered his arm to his lovely future bride and escorted her to where the quite vocal female was coming from.

When the two royals located the source of the racket Weiwei didn't know if she should be amused or horrified at the situation. There was Shanshan climbing on a short end table that Weiwei just knew that her cousin took the liberty to pull over just so she could be at eye level with the tall Feng Teng as she properly berated him. If the princess has to guess her spitfire of a cousin had no idea she was chastising her future husband. The woman in red took a glance at the purple-faced Duke before sighing and calling out Shanshan's name.

The woman in question stopped mid-sentence and turned her head to the person who called her. Never leaving her well manicured finger once centimeter from the face of the man she was berating. It took a moment for Shanshan to register that it was her cousin. Once she did she bounced off that table and rushed over to her most beloved cousin checking for any injuries or direst. When she found none she pulled Weiwei into a tight hug. "Weiwei, I was so worried when I got your letter. Are you alright? You are not being held prisoner are you? Tell me what happened to Auntie and Uncle. Your letter was so vague. Are they feeding you enough here? You're so skinny. Where are Sisi and the others?"

"All in good time, Shanshan." Weiwei left the tight embrace of the other woman and turned to bow in apology to her host. "Your Grace, I sincerely hope my dear cousin's abrupt arrival does not reflect poorly on her. She allowed her worry for me to override her normally sound judgment. I humbly request your forgiveness for her behavior."

The Duke looked down coldly at the she-devil who moments before verbally attacking him. "This is your cousin, I take it." addressing the princess in red. His eyes never leaving the demoness.

Shanshan had the decency to look chastised under the duke's cold stare. She had just realized whom she had spent the last few minutes berating. "Du-duke Feng Teng?" Shanshan stuttered and wished the floor would just swallow her up. "I apologize for my poor behavior, I was just too disturbed by the letter I received and feared the worst about my most beloved cousin. She is like a darling sister to me." Twisting her hands in anxiety.

Feng Teng chose not to reply and simply sharply gestured his head towards his study so they could all discuss this in private and left everyone in his angered wake. The prince gave a small wink to his newly betrothed before following the duke and leaving the two cousins where they stood. Weiwei turned to her cousin and told her "Shanshan, I know you have many questions but let's follow the duke and get somewhere more secure before we continue this conversation away from prying ears." Shanshan looked tearfully at Weiwei and meekly grabbed Weiwei's sleeve with both hands. The two followed their future husbands at a more sedate pace due to how upset Shanshan was. Weiwei didn't mind; it gave her time to think as her cousin got her emotions under control. Poor Shanshan really did make a mess of things with her future husband. She just hoped that the duke didn't treat Shanshan too harshly because of her earlier outbursts.